Fair pickings at the Saras Mela

About: Here’s a toy to take you back to your childhood. “Elderly shoppers are getting most excited to see these,” said Jyotsna Santra of Hooghly. “They are getting nostalgic and showing their grandkids how they played with them back in the day. I’ve sold about 70 pieces in less than a week.”

About: From Tagore to Shakespeare, Sachin to Messi, these bags have an autograph of whoever you are a fan of. “We sourced these autographs from the Net, scanned and then printed them on jute bags,” said Mamata Dhali, who has come from Barrackpore.

About: If you’ve brought out mosquito nets fearing dengue, you can get one for your household idol too. “The set has a bed, little pillows and bolsters with an overhead net that uses a zip,” says Ashima Biswas from Nadia. The net comes in baby blue, pink etc and the bed cover has motifs of flowers, bunnies and a snoring moon.

About: This pavilion is dedicated to greens. There are potted plants like cacti and succulents and growing media like cocopeat and vermicompost. Ma Manasa nursery of Rajarhat has been selling strawberry plants. “It’s a myth that strawberries only grow in cold climes. If you provide the right nutrients and sunlight they’ll thrive in Salt Lake and bear fruit round the year,” said Shila Naskar.

About: Yes, they have motifs of Ganesha and Radha-Krishna too, but it is a wall hanging of Ravana that catches the eye. “Ravana is seen as a villain but there wasn’t a greater devotee of Shiva than him,” says Sindhe Sriramulu from Andhra Pradesh. Made of goat leather, the 5-ft high Ravana can be framed and hung.

About: You studied the book in school; now you can drape a sari created with linocut motifs of Rabindranath Tagore’s Sahaj Path. “Tussar silk saris of the Sahaj Path series are available in two varieties,” said Basanti Nasipuri. “One is in nossi colour (a shade of grey, as in picture) and another in red and black. She sold 10 saris in the first four days of the fair.

About: The Deshaj stall has picked up torn jeans, chopped off the bottoms and stitched them to create bags that are sure to make heads turn. “We have embellished them with ribbons, beads and added denim handles on top,” says Priya Singh.